I think we didn't start the first half very well today. However, halfway through the game, the DF started to control the line better and things started to calm down, and Konno scored the opening goal from a set piece, which I think was a big thing for the team. We talked about fighting more aggressively at halftime, and I think that in the first half, especially after we stole the ball, there were a lot of escape passes, but we decided to connect the ball more firmly, and in the second half, I think they fought very aggressively until we scored the second goal.
After that, we had many chances to score a third goal from a counter attack while keeping the balance, so if our front line players could have scored additional goals in those situations, I think today's game would have been perfect. After two draws, I think it was a very big victory to be able to win against Kashima at home, and we want to fight without giving up until the end in the remaining four games, aiming to win the championship. We will prepare well for each game and the next game against Kobe so that we can get a good result.

Q: Usami got the penalty kick to score the second goal, but looking at his posture, it looked like he wanted to take the kick.
A: Basically, it's Yat who is supposed to take the penalty kick, and I think Takashi also fought aggressively in the second half. As I've said many times, we earned the penalty kick as a team, so Yat was the one to take it first, and today it was Yat who scored the very important second goal, but I believe it was thanks to Takashi's aggressive play that we were able to get the penalty kick and that we were able to earn it as a team.

Q: There have been very few changes to the team members, is this with an eye on the next match?
A: We were fighting well-balanced, so I don't think we needed to move too much. I wanted to avoid moving strangely and losing our balance. Takashi and Anderson PATRIC Aguiar Oliveira still had a lot of energy left, and both sides were still able to move, so I don't think we needed to change the members. There are three days left, so I'd like to carefully select the members and prepare well for the next Kobe match.

Q: The DF kept a clean sheet for the first time in five games. What are your thoughts on the performance?
A: In the first half, the defensive line went over Kanazaki and the third man was attacked, which was very Kashima-like, but I think they responded well to that. There were some dangerous moments due to mistakes, but they kept their concentration until the end, and even if there was a mistake, someone was sure to cover for it, so they hardly allowed Kashima to create any scoring opportunities, and I think they fought with great concentration today.

Q: Although the season is split into two halves, I've heard that you're fighting all year round. Given Urawa's result, how do you view the current situation?
A I don't think our pace is bad at all, because Urawa is running very hard without losing. Of course, I hope we can hang on until the end and have a chance, but basically I want to fight without losing our pace. In May, we have the ACL, so it was very difficult in terms of members and conditions, but the players really fought to win each game, and we are currently 7 points behind, but we have one more game with Kashiwa, so of course we don't know what the result will be, but if we win the 4 games, it will be 4 points behind, so I think there is still a chance, and as I said earlier, we will fight without giving up. If we can't win, we will fight for the second stage next time, and ultimately, I hope to fight for the annual championship.
We haven't given up on the first stage, and both the players and I are fighting hard to win each and every game, so we didn't give up on being first from the start.We will continue to work hard to win both the first and second stages, and to make it to the championship this year and to the playoffs at the end.